3 August 2007
The Government’s White Paper Delivering a Sustainable Railway, setting out the improvements in rail safety, reliability and capacity which it wishes to buy and the funding available to secure these improvements, has been broadly welcomed by CSS.
Colin McKenna, Chairman of the CSS Integrated Transport Group, said he was pleased with the "measured approach" taken in the White Paper:
“More seats are desperately needed and the commitment to increase the number of carriages and lengthen trains is good news," he said. "The Government has committed to a number of important projects, such as Thameslink, Birmingham New Street and Reading Station. Perhaps we would like to have seen more immediate commitment to Crossrail, North-South High Speed Rail and East-West Rail and there will be many people who are understandably disappointed that other schemes have been delayed. CSS members in the South East who have campaigned for over ten years for the Thameslink Project through the Thameslink Consortium of local authorities are delighted with the decision.
The initiative to simplify fares structures to four types of ticket – anytime, off-peak, super off-peak and advance – and the introduction of ‘smarter’ ways to purchase tickets are welcomed by CSS along with the proposals to modernise 150 medium-sized stations. In terms of station improvements, CSS sees local authorities as having a major role in “adding value” for passengers through existing and new partnerships with the rail industry.
The commitment in the White Paper that, in order to retain flexibility for the future, there will be no line closures of regional and rural lines is helpful. CSS believes this is the right approach as, in some rural areas, rail is the only public transport alternative for people without access to a car.
CSS does have concerns about the proposal in the White Paper to raise fares to pay for the improvements.
Colin McKenna said “We are very concerned that the attractiveness of rail as an alternative to the private motor car, will be lost and existing rail users may revert to using their cars. This will not help to reduce road congestion and improve the environment and the economy. We will need to monitor this issue very carefully, particularly as it could relax the pressure on the rail industry to reduce costs.”
CSS would like to see more work by the Government on establishing the comparative total costs of each mode of transport. Colin McKenna said he was worried that the justification of rail funding is being considered in isolation.“It is quite possible that, compared to the net financial, economic and environment value of other modes, the railways deserve even greater public investment," he said.
ends
Media contact
Barrie Hedges, Daybreak Communications office 0845 644 3845; mobile 07899 923756; barrie.hedges@daybreakcomm.co.uk
Notes to editors
- CSS represents local authority chief officers who manage some of the most pressing issues facing the UK today. Membership is drawn from all four corners of the United Kingdom with members responsible for three-quarters of the road network, two thirds of the land area and just under half of the population of England and Wales. Operating at the strategic tier of local government, they are closely involved in crucial transport, waste management, environment, planning, energy and economic development issues.
- The White Paper includes the ‘High Level Output Specification’ (HLOS), the Government's proposed spending plans for rail in England and Wales from 2009-2014, and the ‘Statement of Funds Available’.
- The HLOS details the improvements in safety, reliability and capacity the Government wishes to buy to 2014. The Department is specifying:
- an increase in capacity to accommodate growth of 22.5 per cent
- a three per cent reduction in the risk of death or injury to passengers or employees
- an increase in reliability from 88 per cent to 92.6 per cent and a 25 per cent reduction in delays of more than 30 minutes.
- The White Paper includes commitments to a number of specific schemes and initiatives:
- Redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station to ease capacity issues
- Track and station works at Reading Station, a major bottleneck on the network;
- Thameslink which will provide an improved direct North-South rail link across London
- 1,300 extra carriages will be provided across the country to ease overcrowding
- Introduction of a new simplified easily understood fares structure
- Improvement of 150 stations across the country.
- The next step is for Network Rail to prepare a business plan to deliver the Government’s requirements in line with the available funding from the Government and from other sources
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